Home for the Holidays
by CupcakeAttack13
Summary: Tsuna can't wait to spend Christmas with his guardians! It has been a few years since he became Decimo and he plans to show them exactly what a perfect Christmas is. But as the clock ticks down, Tsuna finds the house silent. Where is everyone?
1. Where'd They Go?

**A/N**

**So I fell prey to the holidays... Thank you for checking this out anyways! It's a little choppy, but treat every line break as a different scene. Those regular font is the main story progression and the italics is memory (as usual). They flip for thoughts in each scene (italic scenes have thoughts in regular font and vice-versa).**

**DISCLAIMER: Aria never married Gamma... So no, I don't own it.**

* * *

Tsuna sighed and puffed out warm air over his hands. Rubbing them together to retain their warmth, Tsuna could not help another sigh from escaping his lips. Turning his reddened cheeks to the sky, Tsuna felt a heavy feeling rise in him. A gaze that could be called wistful looked to the horizon, his lips silently moving in the beginning of a prayer. Realizing what he was doing, Tsuna scolded himself. _They knew they couldn't make it! You knew, too. You sent them away, so stop pouting! You were supposed to have come to terms with it last night!_ Slapping his hands to his red cheeks, Tsuna once more grounded himself to reality.

The streets of the small Italian village were beautiful in the winter. The snow was like a coat of paint across everything, outlining roofs and trees in white. The recent freeze had also caused icicles to form on the edges of houses, creating a reflective decoration to compliment the many glowing lights already up. The gentle puffs of smoke emerging from chimneys completed the image of the perfect white Christmas. Scuffing his shoes on the sidewalk, Tsuna once more sank into a gloom. _Almost a perfect Christmas._ Eyes once more rising to the horizon, he recalled how he had ended up on the streets of Italy.

* * *

_ "Pleeeease, Reborn!" Tsuna all but begged, pulling at the leg of his jailer, lips pouted and eyes like that of a kicked puppy. With casual callousness, Reborn flung Tsuna off once more, continuing to walk from the room with an unamused expression on his face._

_ "For the last time Tsuna, NO!" he said, annoyed. Tsuna flinched back before sticking his tongue out._

_ "C'mon, Reborn!" Tsuna complained. "It's Christmas, isn't it? There's no way anyone would be low enough to try to assassinate me around Christmas! No one's that cruel! Besides I won't go far… Just the village."_

_ Reborn studied the man with a critical eye. Tsuna had bags around his eyes from too much work and too little sleep; there was a general desperation that went deeper than just a break from work. But the sparkling of his eyes was just… quite frankly disgusting. _What was the Decimo, one of the most powerful men in the world, doing pouting to him, the world greatest hitman? _Reborn thought, his lip curling._

_ "No way, Tsuna," Reborn commanded in his no-nonsense tone. "There's no way you're getting out of here until that work is done!"_

_ Tsuna's eyes lit up brighter and Reborn was actually caught off guard for once. "I already did it," the man exclaimed, recognizing his break could be near. "I finished the last damage reports, filed the mission reports, drafted the treaty with the Colomba Famiglia, overseen the reconstruction plans for the West Wing, and paid the staff. I have nothing left to do but…" here he paused for effect, "go shopping for everyone!"_

_ Reborn shook his head at his student-turned-boss's antics. He did have to admit, Tsuna was getting better at doing his work in a timely manner and he probably did deserve a break, but still… "What about the recent falling out with the Spaccio?" Reborn asked, knowing he was hitting below the belt._

_ Tsuna visibly winced at the name, cringing at the disastrous memory of Mukuro saying one too many sweet words to the Don's daughter. It was the alliance or Mukuro's head, and, for all his faults, Mukuro was still Tsuna's guardian so that was one Famiglia who would not be on speaking terms with the Vongola for a while. "They can't be that angry…" Tsuna said weakly._

_ Reborn quirked his eyebrow, recalling the purple-faced Don who told them to get out before he removed a very, __**very**__ sensitive part of male anatomy. "Really, now?"_

_ Tsuna, though pale, plowed through, "But like I said, no one will try something in the village right outside the Vongola estate. And it's Christmas. Strictly religious Italians and all that wouldn't dare desecrate such an important holiday. And besides, you promised that if I finished my work, I could take a day outside." At this point, he was as much trying to convince himself as Reborn._

_ Let it not be said that Reborn cannot be merciful. After having confined the Decimo for a grand two and a half months to the mansion, perhaps a little time outside was earned. Reborn had, after all, promised the man that much while he was in the throes of despair over the paperwork in his office for motivation. That didn't mean he liked it though…_

_ "Two hours," Reborn finally conceded, fixing the man with a glare as a celebratory expression passed over Tsuna's face. "But you have to take your gloves and Natsu with you."_

_ Tsuna nodded, only half-paying attention as he ran to grab his coat and ear muffs._

* * *

But that had been two days ago and had nothing to do with why Tsuna now wandered the streets aimlessly, heaviness weighing on his chest. Glancing left and right, he crossed the street, heading for the long road that led back to the Vongola mansion. It was a long walk, but the peace of the silence and purity of the snow was exactly what he needed right now. Leaving behind the windows warmed against the frost that nipped at Tsuna's nose, he turned towards the graceful arches of the branches masterfully trimmed by his gardener. It was like walking through a white hall, the ceiling interlocking branches and the walls sturdy trunks.

Allowing a hesitant smile to cross his face, Tsuna pushed away the worries that began just the day before the last. _Just enjoy the present. Don't sulk; don't be sad._ So with a tremendous effort, Tsuna relaxed and closed his eyes against the blinding scenery. A brisk wind swirled around him, throwing snow into playful cyclones before speeding away to create more elsewhere.

Caught up in one such vortex, Tsuna took a moment to turn around in place, arms out to touch the sides before the air currents fell flat and it disappeared. Opening his eyes once more, he suddenly felt the silence all too heavily, the cold beginning to sting at his eyes where a slight moisture had begun to form. Biting his lip hard, Tsuna repeated again and again, _Don't fret, don't worry. You knew this would happen, so it's okay. It's okay because they had elsewhere to be. They should be with their families around now, so just be happy for them. It's not like they did it on purpose, and how were they supposed to know that you… you…_ Tsuna inhaled sharply and slipped on his gloves. Lighting up his Flames, he called Natsu from his ring, reveling in the warmth the small lion provided. "You and me, buddy," he murmured as he held the small animal, "you and me…"

* * *

_Tsuna returned from shopping within his time limit, face glowing as he tumbled through the front door. The maids and butlers immediately took the packages from the man, a small smile growing on their faces at his enthusiasm. "So much to do, so little time!" Tsuna exclaimed, thrilled and stressed at the same time. He still had to organize the bonuses for the staff, decorate the tree, wrap the presents, and…_

_ "Tsuna!" a voice called. Gazing through the crowd of people helping him with the packages, he saw one of the maids – Marie was her name – holding a phone for him. Gently moving through the throng, he grabbed the phone with a grateful smile. She mouthed "Ryohei" and Tsuna lit up._

_ "Hey, Ryohei," Tsuna said, excitement creeping into his voice._

_ "Tsuna," the boxer replied, seeming hurried._

_ Tsuna frowned at the tone a bit before prompting the man, "Yes?"_

_ "Can you get me a direct flight from San Francisco to Japan?"_

_ Tsuna felt his excitement begin to fade a bit, "Yeah. What for?"_

_ The boxer gave a nervous chuckle. "Don't you remember? Christmas is this week and Kyoko and Hana want me home for the holidays."_

_ Tsuna felt his stomach drop a bit, but quickly recovered, "Oh, okay, then. Have a Merry Christmas, Ryohei! Make sure to tell them both I say hi!"_

_ "Thanks a bunch, Tsuna! You're a life-saver! Tell everyone Merry Christmas for me!"_

_ With that the boxer hung up, taking with him a bit of Tsuna's Christmas spirit. _No matter_, Tsuna thought. _Of course Ryohei would want to go home for the holidays. I actually should've expected that. Well, we'll just have to have Christmas with the seven of us then._ Having cheered himself up, Tsuna got back into the spirit and ran around decorating with the staff, a smile stuck on his face._

* * *

Tsuna curled up in his blanket as he slowly defrosted, staring at the tree from his position on the couch. It was really quite a beautiful tree. With the aesthetic senses of the staff to help him, the tree glowed with lights and ornaments, beautiful reds and deep purples mixing with bright yellows and light blues. Electric green and indigo lights spiraled around the tree, leading up to an orange star at the top, shining brightly in the early darkness of winter. Tsuna didn't bother turning on the lights to the room, preferring to just watch the small bulbs of the tree create its own radiance. Calling Natsu to him once again, Tsuna laid on the couch, lightly petting the lion as he watched the tree stand alone against the dark.

* * *

_Soon after putting up the last wreath, Tsuna stepped off the ladder to the triumphant faces of his staff. They had just finished decorating the mansion; holly, candles, and tastefully placed lights added a feeling of surrealism to the mansion. "Wonderful job, everyone," Tsuna called, counting down the hours until the 25__th__ arrived in his head. "With that, your job ends, so enjoy your holidays!"_

_ Beaming faces and bows accompanied the declaration as the staff ran around trying to gather their things. As each one left the house, Tsuna gave them an envelope containing their bonus for the season. After wishing each one a Merry Christmas, Tsuna sank into the couch in the same room as the tree. Smiling at the combined efforts of everyone in the house, Tsuna wondered where his guardians were. Reborn was upstairs. He wouldn't leave until tomorrow. He was going on a short trip with Bianchi who was miraculously still his girlfriend. Tsuna suspected that had something to do with her obsession, but who was he to judge?_

_ The phone ringing broke him from his thoughts. Getting up, Tsuna grabbed the phone from the kitchen, settling into a chair. "Hello?"_

_ "Omnivore," the voice greeted succinctly._

_ "Hibari. Do you need something?" Tsuna asked, puzzled as to why his guardian would call. If Tsuna remembered correctly, the Cloud was in China with I-Pin visiting Fon. The girl would spend the holidays there. "Are you guys okay?"_

_ "Fine, Omnivore. Get me a plane to Nanimori though."_

_ Tsuna felt his stomach drop a bit at the request. "Sure, but why do you need it?"_

_ "I need to make sure discipline is still being properly upheld."_

_ Tsuna sighed, long used to his whims. "Don't forget to be back by Christmas."_

_ "Can't, Omnivore."_

_ "W-what?" Tsuna stuttered, a little shocked. "W-why?"_

_ "Kusakabe said to spend it at his house. No where better to be"_

_ "R-right," Tsuna said, heart constricting. "Will do. Have a Merry Christmas, Hibari."_

_ A grunt came from the other end before he hung up, his version of, "You, too". Tsuna slumped in his chair. _Why are you surprised? Nanimori is Hibari's home before this place. He'd want to be where he was most comfortable for the holidays. You should've seen this coming,_ he scolded himself. Looking over at the tree, Tsuna suddenly had an uneasy feeling. Wanting to banish it, he went upstairs to finish the last dregs of work that had probably accumulated while he was getting gifts._

_But that had only been the beginning of it all._

_ The next call came while Tsuna had been finishing up the paperwork. Glancing at his watch, he stretched backwards, only to whip himself forwards again when his personal phone went off. Checking the I.D., he smiled softly._

_ "Hey, Fuuta," he said, "What do you need?"_

_ "Hey, Tsuna-nii! Lancia said I could stay with him for the holidays, so do you think I could? It-it's okay if I can't, but he said all these lights and cookies would be there and I really want to do it! Please, Tsuna-nii?"_

_ Tsuna felt himself sigh, making sure to keep the phone away from his mouth so the boy wouldn't hear it through the phone. Putting some false cheer into his voice, he said, "Sure. Just stay safe and have a Merry Christmas!"_

_ "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Merry Christmas, Tsuna-nii!"_

_ Tsuna smiled at the boy's excitement and closed the phone. _Well, Fuuta doesn't have too many friends. It's good for him to spend some time with Lancia. I'm sure he'll be fine,_ Tsuna thought, turning his attention back to the paperwork. His reassurances only partially loosened the ever-tightening knot in his chest. _Nothing will happen, Tsuna,_ he told himself, trying to relieve the worried feeling. It didn't help. In an effort to distract himself, he turned to his draft of the treaty to look it over once more._

* * *

Tsuna's eyes began to glaze as he gazed at the great grandfather clock dominating the wall. It had been moved there to complete the picture of a perfect Christmas, much like the houses in the village. The hands moved so quickly yet so slowly, time dilating as he lay curled up with Natsu, who had fallen asleep a while ago. As the third set of hourly chimes began, Tsuna shut his eyes against the moisture that once more began to build behind his eyelids. Roughly scrubbing it away, Tsuna curled up tighter with Natsu, bringing the small lion closer to his chest.

* * *

_Next had been Lambo. The curly-headed boy had gone back home to exchange pleasantries with his Famiglia. So it was much to Tsuna's surprise when he received a call from the over-excited boy._

_ "Yes, Lambo?" Tsuna asked through the phone._

_ "Tsuna-nii! Papa invited me to stay this year! Every year I visit and we talk for a while, but he always sends me home after a couple of hours. This year he actually wants to spend Christmas with me though! I'm so happy, Tsuna-nii! Oh, wait," Tsuna all but cringed as the boy's voice fell, "I need your permission, Tsuna-nii. If you don't want me to…"_

_ Tsuna cut off the boy with a quick, "No problem, Lambo. Have fun and Merry Christmas!"_

_ A squeal was heard on the other end and Tsuna knew deep inside, beyond the discomfort that was squeezing his heart, that he made the right choice. With a hurried Merry Christmas, Lambo hung up._

_ Digging his nails into his hand, Tsuna tried to rationalize his decision. _Lambo hasn't had fun with his father in years. It's good they're getting along well. Who knows? Maybe they'll finally grow closer like father and son should…_ Tsuna's thoughts traitorously turned to the one place they shouldn't though. _But what about the older brother?_ the ugly thoughts whispered, circling his mind predatorily. _No,_ Tsuna firmly decided,_ I'm not really family, and Lambo should have a very good Christmas this year._ He quickly busied himself with a shower before the thoughts could build an argument to poke holes in his flawed logic._

* * *

_ It was as Tsuna was just getting out of the shower that the phone rang. His throat reflexively clenching by this point, he picked it up with a strangled, "Hello?"_

_ "Tsuna?" a concerned voice came from the other end._

_ Wincing, Tsuna cleared his throat and tried again, "Hey, Yamamoto! Was just eating some peanut butter, sorry about that."_

_ A chuckle came from the other end, "I know. That stuff just sticks everywhere. I remember when I was five, my father gave me some peanut butter and…"_

_ "Yamamoto," Tsuna called quickly, "what did you call for? You okay?"_

_ "Oh, yeah! Yeah, I'm fine, Tsuna! But I have a favor," Tsuna was tempted to say no, but waited instead. Yamamoto, taking his silence as a go-ahead, continued, "My father wants me home for Christmas this year. He wants to show me his new filleting skill and we always make sushi together to put on Mom's grave. Do you mind getting me a flight from Germany to Nanimori?"_

_ Tsuna felt his mouth dry up at the request. _How dare you think of yourself?_ Tsuna told himself sternly, _it's his tradition and he does it to honor the only family he left. You have no right to get in the way of that!_ So clearing his throat again, Tsuna once more forced cheer into it and said, "Sure, Yamamoto. I'll go arrange it right now!"_

_ "Thanks, Tsuna," the man said with relief, "you're a life saver! Merry Christmas to you and everyone else!"_

_ "Merry Christmas," Tsuna forced out as the other man hung up. _Of all people, Yamamoto didn't notice that you were faking it? You're not that good… I guess he doesn't care as much as you thought,_ the traitorous thoughts snickered, swirling around his head. Shaking his head, Tsuna attempted to dislodge them. Although unsuccessful, he managed to get himself to move from where he had been rooted. Heading up to his office, he went to arrange the remainder of the flights he hadn't earlier._

52 hours to Christmas_, Tsuna thought as he climbed the stairs. _52 hours left and four guardians down in just 20 hours…

* * *

Natsu woke to droplets of salt water falling on his small head, hissing and crackling as they hit his flames. Looking mournfully up at his master, the little lion stood on his hind paws to reach the tears before they fell. Feeling the tongue on his face, Tsuna put the lion back down next to him. Patting his head, Tsuna gave Natsu a watery smile, "Don't worry, buddy, I'm fine. We still have each other. We'll just spend Christmas together this year. Everyone will be back in a few days anyways…"

Natsu, knowing better, curled back up next to his master, giving off more heat than before as they lay together, huddled under the blankets.

* * *

_As it turned out, Tsuna did get a Christmas present from Reborn. Blearily waking up, Tsuna rubbed the all too familiar ache in the back of his neck that came from sleeping at his desk. Apparently he had fallen asleep while booking flights. With relief, he noted that he had at least confirmed the purchase of the last ticket before passing out, leaving his guardians with a green light to arrive at their desired destinations. As he sat up, a blanket fell from his shoulders and the light sound of a piece of paper hitting the carpet met his ears. Puzzling over the blanket, Tsuna leaned down to grab the note. On the front it said __**Tsuna**__._

_ Flipping open the folded note, Tsuna wasn't sure if he should be happy. But then again, Reborn always did have an awkward way of showing he cared…_

**_Tsuna,_**

**_You weren't awake when I got up. I may demand that you dedicate yourself to your work, but you should still sleep in your own bed. You are a poor excuse for a boss should you get sick over something like that. A boss should be able to complete their jobs regardless of their condition, but I will admit they do their best work when healthy. Next time I'll shoot you instead of putting a blanket over you. I need to catch my flight. See you after the holidays._**

**_Merry Christmas,_**

**_Reborn_**

**_P.S. Any slacking will be punished following this break. Do not believe that you can hide anything from me; you will be held accountable for all your actions. I won't be so kind once I return. Your name is still on my bullets, so don't do anything stupid while I'm gone._**

And so, Reborn is gone, too,_ Tsuna thought gloomily, the silence beginning to weigh on him as he leaned back in his chair. There wasn't any yelling or crashing; no sounds of crying or cooking; not even the pitter-patter of maids and butlers running errands around the house. With the paperwork done, there wouldn't even be the _scritch-scratch_ of his pen against the ruffling paper._

_ As Tsuna slowly sank into the silent gloom, a shrill ring jolted him from his thoughts rather abruptly. Wiping the remaining sleep from his eyes, he answered his phone with a half-yawning, "Hello?"_

_ "Kufufufufu~~ Tsunayoshi, did you dream of me?"_

_ Tsuna rolled his eyes at his Mist guardian's antics, "No, now what do you need?"_

_ "Ouch, Tsunayoshi… So cold."_

_ "Mukuro, focus, please," Tsuna said, temper shorter due to recent events._

_ "Snappy, but okay, Tsunayoshi. I will be needing a transport to Kokuyo. I will bringing Chrome with me to visit the idiots in hopes they have not killed themselves in my absence."_

_ Tsuna once more felt his chest constrict, driving away the last of his sleepy haze as he said almost breathlessly, "And Christmas?"_

_ Mukuro snorted, "Of course we'll spend it there. No use in going unless we'll be staying a while. Might as well go home."_

_ Tsuna felt his heart almost tear in two at the response. _He still doesn't think of this place as home. He doesn't think of any of you as family. You'll just always be Mafia scum he associates with, won't you?_ Biting back the beginnings of a sob, Tsuna returned to his phone and said a short, "Sure. Merry Christmas, Mukuro. Tell Chrome the same for me." This time, Tsuna was the one who hung up, barely waiting for Mukuro's well-wishing._

_ Leaning back in his chair, Tsuna finally let his first tears of self-pity fall, quickly stifling them as he once more searched for a way to get his Mists to their home for the holidays._

* * *

Tsuna stared at the gifts underneath the tree, all colorfully wrapped and awaiting the hands of those they were meant for. Of course, there wasn't one for him. It hadn't really been on his mind while he'd been shopping, supposing that having everyone there for the holidays would be enough for him.

But now the packages had no one to open them. The carefully picked presents would not have someone gleefully tear into them within the next twelve hours. Tsuna would not get those smiles he most wanted to see, even the tiny one that Hibari always quickly hid moments later, only enough time for a mental snapshot.

They sat lonely under the tree: red and blue and green and yellow and purple and indigo. But maybe that was exactly the point. In the world of those presents, there wasn't an orange one. In the tight confines of the branches, there simply wasn't room for it among the myriad of other colors. No one would miss orange this year because even Tsuna hadn't thought about the orange package until it was far, far too late.

* * *

_ Hours later, verging on five in the evening, one last call came in. Tsuna almost didn't pick up knowing he wouldn't like whatever was about to be said over the telephone. But it was his phone, his burden, his responsibility. So heart heavy and voice light, Tsuna managed a, "Hello?"_

_ "Jyuudaime!" the voice on the other end cried, confirming Tsuna's suspicions._

_ "Yes, Gokudera?" Tsuna choked, trying to move the conversation along as quickly as possible._

_ "I'm so, so sorry! The stupid brunette forgot to book my flight back to Italy. And I was so busy with the Yakuza that I forgot as well. I won't be able to make it tomorrow!"_

_ "D-don't worry about it, Gokudera," Tsuna lied, on the edge of crying. "Just see if Haru will let you stay with her until you can get a flight back for Christmas." Tsuna was all too aware of his Storm's crush on the girl and knew it was mutual. The only reason they never started dating was because of his Storm's commitment to him. Tsuna was sure she wouldn't mind letting him stay._

_ "Ah, about that, Jyuudaime…"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "The stupid woman invited me for Christmas and it would be impolite to refuse, so may I stay?"  
Tsuna could hear the hope in his Storm's voice and knew he had no real choice, "Of course, Gokudera. No p-problem." _Dang it, I stuttered_, Tsuna thought viciously. _Now he'll know something is wrong…

_"Thank you, Jyuudaime! I'll be back as soon as I'm done over here!"_

_ Tsuna was crushed. Not even Gokudera, the one who called him on this kind of thing, the one trained to have a sixth sense when it came to his boss, had picked up on it. _Am I really that good?_ Tsuna wondered._

_ Realizing Gokudera was still on the phone, Tsuna managed a shaky, "Merry Christmas!"_

_ "Merry Christmas, Jyuudaime! I suppose you can pass it on to the others as well… See you soon!" And with that, Tsuna's last guardians left him._

_ Tsuna sat back, letting his phone slip from his grasp as he looked at the air. Summoning a shaky smile, Tsuna asked the emptiness, "Who am I supposed to pass it on to?"_

_ Desperation fueling his thoughts, he grabbed his phone and dialed the one number that would always pick up. His version of home._

_ Shakily inputting the last digit, he heard it ring once. Twice. Three times. Four. Five. Six. _Click!_ "This is the Sawada household. I'm sorry; I'm not home right now. My husband returned and we are taking a week long cruise over Christmas. We promised not to bring any sort of phone, so leave a message and I'll try to get back to you. Merry Christmas!"_

_ Chucking his phone away, Tsuna felt his heart finally break in two. Not even his mom would be there to wish him a Merry Christmas. Tsuna stood up and walked downstairs to where he had meticulously set up the perfect Christmas, right down to the tree decorations. Standing in the doorway that would lead into the room with the tree, Tsuna felt his knees quiver._

_ Slumping to the floor, Tsuna flat-out cried. "WHY?! WHY?!" he yelled to the echoing room. "Isn't anyone going to spend it with me? No, of course not! Because I'm just the boss. Just the man you have to check with to get a flight to go anywhere. No, don't worry about the boss. He'll be fine with his paperwork and big house and silence and fancy decorations and presents no one will open. No problem at all!" Tsuna, at the hypocritical crossroads of being sickened at himself for drowning in self-pity and needing to do it anyways, dragged himself into the room with the tree. Settling on the couch, he turned on the lights, able to pretend each color in his life was still there as he watched the tree light up, reflecting beautiful colors into all corners of the room. Now he knew he had never been worried. That knot had not been the selfless consideration he had for others. It had been his selfish, selfish loneliness that wanted to take people away from their real families and precious people. Wrapping a blanket around himself, he fell asleep to the blurred sight of the rainbow colored tree._

* * *

Natsu and Tsuna shared each other's companionship with a bitter feeling rising in Tsuna's chest. He wanted to resent his guardians; he wanted to tear off the carefully color-coded wrapping paper on the gifts he had gotten during his first break in two and a half months; he wanted to call them all up and scream at them to come join him. But he didn't.

Because he should've known.

He should've known it would end this way from the moment Ryohei called. At the time he hadn't been so bitter because he thought he had six people who would definitely share the holiday with him, but one by one, they had dropped out; one by one, they ditched him to celebrate with their own families, whether they were blood or not.

_It's their holiday, and I have no right to take it away from them and force them to spend it somewhere they don't want to_, Tsuna thought despairingly. Tsuna knew when it was enough, when to stop trying. That was the skill he had brought to the table: the ability to let go.

And so he did. Taking Natsu under his arm, Tsuna rolled over and switched off the tree lights, tears rolling down his face as he cried himself to sleep, the clock chiming twelve echoing in his ears.

_Merry Christmas to me..._

* * *

**A/N**

**Word Count: 4,798**

**Poor Tsuna... This is meant to be a one-shot, but if you guys want something else, do let me know. I live for your entertainment. So, thank you for reading this and I hope I didn't disappoint!**

**Compared to my other pieces, I only checked this one over a couple times, so I apologize for any mistakes and do let me know if there were any.**

**See you next time!**


	2. Home for the Holidays

**A/N**

**Phew! This one was a doozie! Not to mention it is more than 2x the length of the first chapter (making it longer than the entirety of Four Princes!) and that I had to double check a whole bunch of facts before putting this up. So you know what, I hope this does it for you guys because I am all out of writing for the year! There are hints of 5986 (Gokudera and Haru) as well as 9614 (Chrome and Ken). Hopefully it doesn't put you off though...**

**Pinkus-Pyon: No puedo escribir muy bien en español, pero estoy felíz que te gusta mi historia. ¡Espero que te gusta este capítulo también!**

**DISCLAIMER: Since Kawahira never got any good ramen noodles, I don't own it. (I think he would've been more pleasant if the gang had stopped causing him to get soggy noodles...)**

* * *

_Part 2_

Half of the world away, seven people felt something prick their hearts, a sharp prick that was less of a physical pain and more of one that seared through their very souls. As quick as it was there, it was gone. But with it being eight o'clock on Christmas morning, the pain was quickly pushed to the back of their minds.

* * *

Gokudera sat at Haru's kitchen table, a faint blush on his cheeks as he watched her move around the kitchen baking. She had her hair bunched to the back of her head but a couple of strands had fallen loose with all the movement, tickling her neck and his fingers twitched with a desire to tuck them away. As if responding to the thought, she brushed the strands away impatiently, leaving behind on her neck a smudge of white from the flour. Gokudera lightly coughed in an effort to discreetly get her attention.

Hearing a small cough interrupt her humming, Haru turned to Gokudera; her eyes were alight with both excitement and a hint of something resembling longing. Seeing his inflamed cheeks, she too blushed. _Red looks really good on him,_ she thinks idly, _even if it is his face…_

Gokudera, gathering his voice back up, couldn't help but notice the grace Haru held as she moved, sweeping around the kitchen with the ease and fluidity that was befitting of a dancer. "Need something, Gokudera?" she asked him, her face starting to flush as her eyes darted away from his.

_Cute…_ Gokudera thought, coughing again. "N-no, but in your clumsiness you smeared flour all over the back of your neck," he said gruffly.

"Oh, thank you," she said, head cocked as if in thought. Looking around the counter, she grabbed a cloth from the sink and raised it to her neck, wiping it down. In doing so, a smudge of flour was left on her cheek from where her hands had brushed it, and there was still some flour on the middle of neck she didn't get.

Opening his mouth again, Gokudera criticized, "Missed some, you stupid woman. And now you got some on your cheeks." As she raised the cloth again, the flour on her hands got into her hair, making an even bigger mess.

Getting up, Gokudera walked over to her growling impatiently, "No, no, no… Just give that cloth to me!"

Handing over the cloth, Haru stayed statue still as Gokudera slowly wiped first her hair, then her neck, determined to do it right the first time. Coming to her cheek, their eyes accidentally met and both flushed even worse. "I-I-I-" Gokudera stuttered, realizing what he was doing and how close he was to her. She was radiating a soothing warmth, like a tempered flame, and wrapped in the scent of cinnamon and sugar from the sweet rolls she was baking in the oven.

Breaking apart, Haru absently wiped her cheek, getting rid of the last of the pale powder. An awkward silence descended as the two stood in Haru's kitchen, only five feet of space between them but it felt like so much more. In an attempt to clear the tension, he coughed and mumbled, "Watch what you're doing or else you'll burn them."

"Huh? Oh!" she said, turning back to her rolls, checking quickly on the ones in the oven before turning back to the next batch she was still making. A conflicting desire to both get closer and farther away left Gokudera choosing the latter and he sat back down at the table. The silence didn't disappear as Haru now felt self-conscious with Gokudera's gaze flitting between her back and everywhere else. Hands trembling a bit, she reached for the walnuts she was using to garnish the rolls when she realized there was nothing there. Eyes following her hand, she noted that she was out; the last of them had been chopped up and put on the batch currently cooking.

Mouth a little dry, she tried to put a chipper tone in her voice as she said, "Hey, Gokudera? Could you go out to the store and grab me some more walnuts. I seem to have run out, hahaha…"

"Y-yes!" he said, jumping up immediately. He winced at his own eagerness, trying again, "I mean, sure. Anything else you forgot, s-stupid woman?" _Stop that_, Gokudera told himself, referring to his inexplicable nervousness.

"No, not right now," Haru replied, still trying to keep her voice light. "I'll call if I need anything else." _God, I sound like his w-wife… He's going to get mad at me again,_ she thought thinking about the implications of what she just said.

"Ah, yeah, sure," Gokudera said, self-consciousness spreading over him. He quickly left, grabbing his jacket off the hook as he left the warmth of the house.

It had begun to snow, completing the white Christmas feel in Japan and Gokudera's thoughts couldn't help but turn to the boss he left behind in Italy. _I hope he has a good holiday with the others_, Gokudera thought, his decision beginning to weigh on him. As a ghostly pain passed through him, he grew even more uneasy. _I shouldn't have accepted the stupid woman's offer… Jyuudaime needs me more… But he told me to go, and I can't disobey his order, right?_ "Gah!" Gokudera half-yelled to himself. It was doing him no good to think about this and didn't get him anywhere. "I'll just call him later to wish him a happy holiday… Make sure the Baseball Idiot hasn't annoyed him too much."

Content he now knew what he was doing, Gokudera continued to the store. Walking in, a bell heralding his entrance, he found there was only two people inside: the store clerk and one man, whose back was to the door, who seemed vaguely familiar. Especially with his dark hair and height. "Must be thinking about those back home too much," he grumbled to himself as he began scouring shelves for nuts.

Spotting them on the top shelf, Gokudera reached up to grab them when the man who had been looking at the fish on display turned around. Eyes widening, Gokudera accidentally tipped the walnuts off the shelf and they fell with a solid _thunk!_ Gokudera's mind moved a mile a minute as he stared at the man who now looked back at him. _H-he shouldn't be here!_ The man, realizing he too knew the frozen Gokudera, raised his hand in greeting, "Hey, Gokudera. What are you doing in Japan?"

Gokudera, suspicions confirmed, snapped back, "Why are you here? You're supposed to be in Italy with Jyuudaime, Yamamoto!"

* * *

Yamamoto had woken up early that morning to gaze into the snow covered garden that his father carefully tended in the back of TakeSushi. _It's still so beautiful,_ Yamamoto thought nostalgically. He couldn't help the memories that sprung up from seeing the garden, even when it wasn't in full bloom. He could still see her arranging the plants, cradling the leaves as she checked for pests, and laughing with a smudge of dirt across her forehead from where she wiped away sweat. A lump formed in his throat as a soft smile took over Yamamoto's face. Ever since he'd gone to Italy, he hadn't been able to see the garden, leaving him to wonder if it would be the same when he returned. It was a relief to know his father meticulously cared for it as she would; he always seemed to take care of what she left behind, whether it was Yamamoto or the garden.

Snow didn't deter her year-round garden either. Snowdrops poked their stems from the frozen ground, the occasional phlox plant mixed in to provide color to the white world. Hellebores and Algerian irises mingled in another section of the garden, tenderly cared for from the way they bloomed so brightly. The ever elegant 'Jelena' witch hazel spread its dark red, spidery blooms to the sky, its sturdy brown branches not bending under the recent snowfall. _It was just like her to create something that would never die and forever bloom beautifully, regardless of the season_, Yamamoto thought wistfully.

Footsteps behind him alerted him to his father coming to join him in the doorway. No words were necessary as they took in the garden, the silence of the snow comfortable between the pair. Once a clock inside showed the time to be 7:03, Tsuyoshi gently tapped his son's arm, nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen, letting him know they had more to do that day than reminisce. Yamamoto, looking at his father for a moment, turned back to the garden saying in a soft, vulnerable tone, "Just… just a little more time…"

Tsuyoshi left him there, knowing he would follow in a moment. It was the only memory Takeshi truly had of his mother, and Tsuyoshi was not going to deny his son the closeness he had lost much too early. Normally he would come in with his father, but he had been away in Italy for a few years and hadn't seen the garden since; when Takeshi flew in, he always went directly to the grave to eat sushi with the both of them. _I hope I'm doing your garden justice, Miwa_, Tsuyoshi thought, a slight longing flitting across his expression. _Your garden misses both the beauty and harmony***** you so tenderly gave it._ Even in her final days, the beauty she had been blessed with shone with a radiance that brought their dark days back into balance. Her memory now did the same, and Tsuyoshi knew that they would be okay for they had learned to balance the sad with the happy, the light-hearted with the serious. Takeshi especially understood those lessons and every time Tsuyoshi saw him, it was as though Miwa had come back, if only for a moment to put his life back in order.

Lighting his stove, he began to heat water for rice. By the time the pot began to boil, Yamamoto entered the kitchen with a smile on his face and immediately began to prepare the fish on the counter for sushi. "What kind should we make this year, Otou-san?"

Tsuyoshi, measuring in the rice, paused and thought for a moment. "Why not make her favorite? After all, _madai_ should be in the store with _Oshogatsu_ so close. Would you mind running down to the market to check for me, Takeshi? I don't think we have any in the shop right now."

Yamamoto's smile widened and he eagerly agreed, "I'll leave now and be back before the rice is done." Tsuyoshi couldn't help the smile that came from his son's antics. Takeshi had always loved to run, saying that he was running for two people. _Oh, Miwa… If you could see him now…_

Yamamoto dashed from the shop, his heart light. It truly did change his mood to see the garden again, to remember that his mother left behind something more than a stone shrine and memories. A cold breeze brushed his face; much like her hands had after she came in from the garden during the winter, a smile on her face as she drank _sencha_ tea at the counter and watched him learn to make sushi from his father, eating his failed attempts. It was the whole reason he had tried so hard to get better; he didn't want her to eat something that wasn't good.

He neared the store, refocusing on his goal of getting some _madai_. Greeting the store clerk, Yamamoto immediately hurried to the seafood section, hoping that they would have some although it was a little early. As he finished checking the first section, a pain rippled through him. It wasn't big, but it was enough to turn Yamamoto from his thoughts and think of a certain brunet. _I hope he's okay… He didn't really sound okay on the phone, but he told me I should go, even arranging the flight. But wait, we didn't have peanut butter in Italy…_ Yamamoto's eyes temporarily widened, but quickly calmed down as he realized, _the other guardians are with him. I'll apologize when I get back for not being there, but everyone else should be able to cheer Tsuna up for me._

Nodding to himself, Yamamoto went back to scouring the rest of the fish. A tinkling bell behind him told him someone else was also running last minute Christmas errands. _And speaking of which… _His eyes alit on a fish near the back. Picking it up, he confirmed it was indeed a _madai_, and a rather fresh one too. _Lucky!_ Yamamoto thought as he turned around, ready to check out. And then there was a _thunk!_ The sound garnered Yamamoto's attention, leading him to stare into the eyes of the last man he expected to see in Japan. Ignoring the knot of unease that was beginning to curl in his stomach, Yamamoto raised the hand not holding the fish in greeting and called, "Hey, Gokudera. What are you doing in Japan?"

* * *

The two stared at each other for a moment, the question hanging in the air between them, a million thoughts swimming through their minds.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Tsuna?"

"Aren't you supposed to be with Jyuudaime?"

Realizing they asked the same question at the same time, Yamamoto walked closer, his fish in his hands, as Gokudera stooped and swiped the bag of walnuts off the floor. "Well, I guess neither of us is with him…" Yamamoto said, a strained chuckle following the statement.

"I realize that, you idiot!" Gokudera fumed, trying to cover up his own anxiousness at seeing the man. "Why are you here?"

Surprised by the question, Yamamoto was frank, "I'm here to get some _madai._"

Gokudera could've strangled the man. The urge had not faded from the first day he had met the idiot; admittedly the idiot had gained his respect over the years, but only their cooperation with Tsuna kept him from ever truly trying. "I see that," Gokudera said slowly, keeping a tight hand on his temper, "but I mean what are you doing in Japan and not in Italy with Jyuudaime?"

"Oh," the swordsman said, a puzzled look crossing his face, "Tsuna said I could go back to Japan for Christmas since my father invited me. I'm surprised you're here. I expected that you stay in Italy for the holidays."

Gokudera seethed for a moment before saying a little abashedly, "I got tied up here with work and couldn't get a plane back in time. The stupid woman invited me to stay at her house and Jyuudaime said it should be fine." At this both men frowned, their stories beginning to create a picture that they hoped only seemed the way it did.

"We need to check out. Then we can see if… if something may have gone wrong," Yamamoto said, his smile dropping in the face of what could be a serious error on his part.

Gokudera came to the same conclusion and they left together, their respective packages almost forgotten as they ran. It was decided that they drop off their groceries first so as to not be weighed down while they were searching. As they ran towards Haru's house, they saw a very familiar yellow bird flitting through the trees within the gates of Nanimori. "No way," Gokudera breathed, his worry growing.

The pair entered the gates of Nanimori to find a certain graduated prefect lying in the branches cleared of snow, his jacket swaying in the wind as Hibird circled singing the anthem. "Hibari," Gokudera yelled from the gates, knowing the man's propensity to attack first, "why aren't you in Italy?"

The prefect immediately jumped from the tree, his mind distantly registering that neither of the two were trespassing and therefore he shouldn't be interested, but something was wrong, even to him. "Why are you here, herbivores?"Hibari growled, Hibird settling on his head.

"Tsuna sent us here for the holidays," Yamamoto responded, "but weren't you supposed to be in Italy for Christmas?"

Hibari growled viciously and swung his tonfa at Gokudera's head, consequently missing and hitting the side of the gate instead. "The omnivore is being herbivorous," Hibari muttered angrily, his irritation nearly tangible.

* * *

Hibari, with Hibird asleep in his pocket, had gotten in close to 6:30 in the morning, but Kusakabe was there to drive him back to the house. Nothing less was expected from those who are part of the Foundation, but Kusakabe was still the only herbivore Hibari could stand to interact with. "Welcome back, sir," the man said quietly, opening the door to the car for Hibari.

"Hn," Hibari grunted, quickly getting in. He didn't approve of wasting time on needless pleasantries; he was a man of action, not diplomacy. Kusakabe knew this and was already starting the car.

"The crime reports for the past two years are in the folder next to you," the man said, knowing exactly what Hibari would want to busy himself with now that he was back. It was just Kusakabe's hope that he could get the man to stop long enough to enjoy a holiday meant for cheer. Hibari's parents didn't believe in such sentiments, as shown by how they gave their son a house in Japan and haven't talked to him since, not even to wish him a "Happy Birthday". "There has been a significant decrease in recent years, currently resting at a low 2.4 percent crime rate per 1,000 people. Nanimori is considered the safest town to live in Japan and is in the running for the same title in the world," Kusakabe continued.

"What type of crime persists?" Hibari growled, miffed that someone still planned to commit a crime in a town under his protection. _There are still herbivores that need to be bitten to death_, he thought.

"Petty crimes. Larceny and the occasional auto theft by teenagers, a rare burglary and one case of assault by someone holding a grudge over a bad bet. Overall, there hasn't been much activity at the police station," Kusakabe concluded.

Hibari nodded, knowing that for all his need for a perfectly orderly society, this was probably the best that could be done without his direct presence. He would also have to stop by the police station. Peace was good, but it commonly caused complacency and complacency led to mistakes and problems; Hibari would make sure they were still on the same level they were when he had left. "How long until we arrive?"

"Ten minutes, sir," Kusakabe said, glad he had gotten sleep earlier because there was no way that Hibari would stay and enjoy Christmas without his active intervention. "Did you sleep on the plane?"

"Hn. The plane took much too long. The pilot should be bitten to death for his lack of discipline," Hibari muttered, and Kusakabe winced behind his sunglasses when he remembered the first and last time he'd ever done something unsatisfactory enough to warrant being bitten to death. Like he said, it was also his last.

Turning into his driveway, Kusakabe was greeted with the homey sight of his small house at the end of a well-maintained driveway. The others from the Foundation – not enough to create a crowd of course – would come later with gifts and food. No alcohol would be brought with Hibari in the house; it caused too much disorder.

Pulling to a stop, Kusakabe got out and opened the door for his superior, saying, "Welcome, to my house, sir."

Hibari cast a critical eye at the property, noting with approval that everything was in its proper place and was taken care of. This was why Kusakabe was the only one he could tolerate; he had the ability to complete given tasks to perfection and maintain order in his life. Unlike a certain omnivore that was in Italy, but Hibari had learned to respect the man's strength. The others were existences that he preferred not to interact with, but coexistence was possible with control. "I will return later to participate in your event, but first I will check that discipline is being properly upheld in this town," Hibari declared.

Hiding a smile, Kusakabe couldn't bring himself to even pretend to be surprised at the man's decision considering how anxious he had been in the car to return to the town. "As you wish, sir. Please be back by four, as that is when the celebration will start," Kusakabe responded. "I will have breakfast prepared for when you return."

Grunting, Hibari took off for the town. Hibird woke with the quickened movements, choosing to fly above his master rather than endure the rough ride in his pocket. Opening its small beak, Hibird happily chirped each time a snowflake fell into its small mouth. Hibird's owner felt a twitch in his lips at the sight of the cheerful bird before turning his attention back to the streets of Nanimori.

After an hour and fifteen of searching and no sign of an herbivore to bite, Hibari was beginning to get impatient and stopped on a rooftop. _Impatience springs from lack of discipline and leads to hastiness. Hastiness leads to disruption of the peace_, he thought, his sense of ingrained discipline, honed by the baby-turned-adult storm, calming his bloodlust. All of a sudden, a jolt of pain runs through Hibari, putting him on alert for an enemy nearby. _That was no normal occurrence. I shall find the one causing such a thing and bite them to death! The only people I've been able to bite to death recently were those in Italy. The omnivore especially…_ Hibari didn't know where his train of thought was trying to go, but he would not let it distract him from his task at hand. _I shall bite the omnivore to death for distracting my thoughts when I return._ Satisfied that no matter what, he would bite someone to death, Hibari continued to search.

Several more minutes of fruitless search once more led Hibari to stop, this time at the gates of Nanimori Middle School. Hibird landed on his head as he scoured the ground for any sign of the one who might be causing disorder. Finding no one, Hibari decided to rest a moment in the sakura trees before heading back to Kusakabe's house for breakfast.

Not even ten minutes into his rest, an annoying, familiar voice called to him, "Hibari, why aren't you in Italy?"

Irritation like no other rose in him. _How dare that herbivore disrupt the peaceful silence!_ Hibari jumped down and growled, "Why are you here, herbivores?" Hibird chose to settle on his head at that moment, the last notes of the anthem resonating through the air.

"Tsuna sent us here for the holidays," the other herbivore said, "but weren't you supposed to be in Italy for Christmas?"

_No… Something is not right. And it's all that omnivore's fault!_ His irritation exploded and Hibari swung at the immediate source of disturbance, who had the audacity to dodge. "The omnivore is being herbivorous," Hibari realized, his ire rising.

* * *

They were distracted when Hibari snarled and took off, dashing for the town once more, phone in hand. Gokudera hadn't even been able to stop the man and his shouts to Hibari's back were predictably ignored.

Sighing, Gokudera looked at Yamamoto, who in turn was thinking seriously. _Even the Baseball Idiot noticed…_ Gokudera thought forlornly. It wasn't that the man was dense, but for him to visibly show he was concerned was enough reason for Gokudera to seriously consider the situation an issue.

"If it's like we think," Gokudera began, breaking Yamamoto's thoughts, "then we better hurry up and find the others." Yamamoto nodded and the pair set off again, still in the direction of Haru's house, but with a new mission in mind.

The two didn't encounter any of the others on their way and Gokudera finally handed over the walnuts to Haru. Yamamoto watched the scene with a mixture of amusement and impatience.

"Here, stupid woman," Gokudera said, his mind on Tsuna as he thrust the walnuts in her face.

Haru blinked in surprise at his sudden turnaround in behavior before recognizing the signs that Gokudera would not be staying long at all. "… I guess you won't be staying for Christmas then, Gokudera?" Haru said, only the tiniest trace of hurt making its way into her voice.

"Of course not, stupid woman! Why would I…" Gokudera trailed off as he caught up with the conversation. Biting his lip, he at least had the decency to look ashamed. "Ah, no… I need to get back to Jyuudaime…"

Haru nodded, figuring that would be the case. "Well, you better get going then!" she said brightly. _Too brightly,_ noted Yamamoto. "Wouldn't want to keep you. Tell Tsuna I say Merry Christmas!"

Gokudera nodded but hesitated as he turned to leave. "Stupid—Haru, thank you for inviting me for Christmas," he said, a note of true regret in his voice. With that he turned and left, missing the expression of crushing emotion that swept across her face before she recomposed herself.

"Anytime, Gokudera, anytime!" she yelled, sincerity in her voice.

Gokudera rejoined Yamamoto and noticed the look of almost pity on the man's face. "What?" he asked shortly.

Yamamoto simply shook his head and they continued on, this time headed for TakeSushi. It was a mere block away that they heard the sound they had half expected, half dreaded. "Have an EXTREMELY Merry Christmas!" a booming voice called from just around the corner.

Exchanging looks, the two men sped around the corner in time to see a blur race down the streets, a red suit and hat on. Without a word, they took off after the energized Santa.

Yamamoto caught up to the man first, yelling, "Hey, Ryohei."

"Hey, Yamamoto," the man called back, a face-splitting grin on his lips. "Are you having an EXTREMELY Merry Christmas?"

Before Yamamoto could say something, Gokudera yelled, a little breathlessly, "Stop, you Lawn Head!"

Screeching to halt at the familiar insult, Ryohei whirled around with his smile getting bigger (was that even possible?) as he caught sight of… "OCTOPUS HEAD! How have you EXTREMELY been?"

Fingers twitching, Gokudera took a deep breath to both catch his breath and keep himself from reflexively causing damage to his Jyuudaime's home town. "You stupid Lawn Head! Why are you here?" he ground out, teeth clenched in an effort to keep his temper down.

Ryohei blinked in confusion. "I'm with Kyoko and Hana for Christmas. They invited me over. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be in Italy?" he asked, getting to the heart of the problem.

"And I suppose Jyuudaime said you could come?" Gokudera asked, already knowing the boxer would dip his head in acknowledgement. "That makes four of us… Dang it, Jyuudaime," Gokudera muttered, hands balling. Suddenly, he struck out and slammed his fist into the wall, cracking brick where it hit. Yamamoto, sharing his sentiment, sighed and shook his head.

Ryohei, taking in the expressions of his companions, felt something not EXTREME come over him. "What do you mean, 'That makes four of us'? And why aren't you two with Tsuna?"

* * *

His EXTREME morning had begun before the sun rose, his usual run taking him down the early morning streets of Nanimori. The snow, just touched by the brilliant rays of dawn, sparkled underfoot as he ran. Ryohei was in his element: no clouds, no rain, no mist; just the sun and him.

Clad only in a pair of gray sweats and loose hoodie, the boxer smiled as the brisk air whipped through his hair. _EXTREME wind resistance means my run is even more EXTREME!_ he thought, punching the air. It had taken years of scoldings and thrown items for Ryohei to stop yelling before the sun rose above the horizon. Hana had been the one to finally make him stop after she threatened to break up with him if he ran screaming by her house at six in the morning again. Suitably chastened, the boxer had chosen to scream inside his head from then on.

As the first chatter and well-wishings began to be exchanged, Ryohei finished his circuit and headed back towards the Sasagawa household. Nearing the door, he quickly brushed off any residual snow so he wouldn't get any inside the house; Kyoko could be scary about keeping it clean. Stomping his feet, he opened the door to find the love of his life waiting for him, obviously still sleepy as she leaned against the wall.

"EXTREMELY good morning to you, Hana," Ryohei said happily as he gave the woman a hug.

Returning the hug with a soft smile, she said, "Good morning, Ryohei."

"Good morning to you too, Nii-san," Kyoko said, a smile on her face as she entered from the kitchen. "I have breakfast ready in the other room if you two want any."

Sweeping Hana off her feet in his excitement, Ryohei carried the woman into the next room, Kyoko laughing softly at their antics. Hana raised an eyebrow, but she didn't protest at the treatment. Placing her back onto the floor, Ryohei pulled out a chair for her before doing the same for himself. Hana took the seat as food was put on the table.

Ryohei quickly spooned a bunch onto his plate before passing it down. "The run this morning was so EXTREME!" he began happily. "Everything was EXTREMELY white for this EXTREME Christmas and I EXTREMELY can't wait to see everyone at dinner."

Hana, for all she loved the man, could only take so much yelling minutes after she woke up and said perhaps a little too sharply, "Ryohei! I love you to death, but can you please be quiet for one minute!"

Ryohei opened his mouth to respond when a sudden pain, not unlike of a punch, hit him in what felt like the heart, making him close his mouth. A frown passed onto his face as he thought, _what was that? There weren't any recent fights, even in Italy, so why the pain? Speaking of Italy, I wonder how Sawada is doing… He sounded pretty cheery, so I guess everyone's all ready to celebrate back there. Maybe I'll give him a call later to wish him a proper Merry Christmas later._

Thinking his silence from the scolding, Hana quickly exchanged looks with Kyoko, a plea for damage control in her eyes. Kyoko, understanding, immediately thought of something perfect. "Onii-san," she called, regaining her brother's attention, "do you remember the old Santa costume in the closet upstairs?"

Ryohei, shaking off the seriousness that had come over him, said, "I EXTREMELY do!"

"Well, what better way to spread the holiday cheer than to have every child in Nanimori see Santa Clause on Christmas?"  
Ryoehi's eyes widened at the underlying suggestion and shot up from the table. "I will be the most EXTREME Santa and give the children an EXTREME Christmas," he declared, already running for the upstairs. Kyoko and Hana exchanged amused looks, knowing that this would be an unforgettable Christmas indeed.

Ryohei was soon off and running once more through the streets of Nanimori, no longer hesitating to yell, "Have an EXTREMELY Merry Christmas!" at random points. However, soon footsteps could be heard chasing him.

After a couple minutes, a flash of black hair lined up with his vision as a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Ryohei."

Ryohei grinned as he responded, "Hey, Yamamoto. Are you having an EXTREMELY Merry Christmas?"

A few paces behind came another unexpected voice, this one yelling a familiar phrase: "Stop, you Lawn Head!"

Ryohei immediately stopped at the voice, his smile growing as he caught sight of the silver-haired man. Taking a deep breath, he yelled, "OCTOPUS HEAD! How have you EXTREMELY been?"

Gokudera seemed to be breathing hard as he caught up. _Maybe he should take more EXTREME runs with me,_ Ryohei thought as the man neared. He was caught a little off-guard when the bomber instead said, "You stupid Lawn Head! Why are you here?"

Ryohei was officially confused. "I'm with Kyoko and Hana for Christmas. They invited me over. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be in Italy?" he wondered, thinking it was strange that the man was away from Tsuna.

The man didn't respond, instead stating, "And I suppose Jyuudaime said you could come?" Ryohei nodded and Gokudera looked a bit worried, muttering, "That makes four of us… Dang it, Jyuudaime." The following display of violence caught Ryohei off-guard for a second time and Yamamoto's reaction in the background had a cold stone dropping into Ryohei's stomach.

"What do you mean, 'That makes four of us'? And why aren't you two with Tsuna?"

* * *

The three men looked at each other in silence, tension in the air weighing heavily on all of them. It was Yamamoto who broke it, murmuring thoughtfully, "Tsuna… He sent us – and by us I mean you, me, Gokudera, and Hibari – away for the holidays."

The words didn't sink in for the boxer for another few moments. _But Sawada said he'd wish the rest of them Merry Christmas for me…_ Seeing the confusion on the man's face, Gokudera tched and said, "Get over it, Lawn Head! We were all duped because not one of us," at this his voice came a bit tight and he cleared his throat, "could tell that Jyuudaime was lonely."

Yamamoto cast Gokudera a pitying glance, knowing the man would be blaming himself for not noticing sooner, but there was nothing to be done about it now. "Let's go grab Hibari and head back," Yamamoto suggested, knowing it wasn't necessarily the ideal situation, but the best one he could think of.

The other two men nodded, and the three set off for TakeSushi once more to drop off the _madai_. At the door, Yamamoto waved the other two back with a sad smile and knocked on the door.

Tsuyoshi had known from the moment Takeshi hadn't come back within the ten minutes that something had changed; something that would no doubt be important to his son, but would end with Tsuyoshi eating sushi with his wife alone this year. So opening the door, Tsuyoshi read the expression of Takeshi's face quickly enough that he just opened up his arms and hugged his son.

"Do what you need to," he said softly, momentarily tightening his hug befor letting his son go. "I'll take care of this end, so take care of your end."

"Tou-san…" Yamamoto began, wanting to say so much – the first of which was an apology – but Tsuyoshi waved him off.

"Just get out of here, you scoundrel," Tsuyoshi said with a smile. It dropped for a moment as he said, "But… come back once in a while I—we miss you around here Takeshi."

Yamamoto nodded and scrubbed his eyes quickly. Giving his father a hug along with the promise to visit soon, Takeshi took off again. "Miwa," Tsuyoshi mumbled, "your son became a good man. I know you'd be as proud of his as I am." With that, he turned and went inside to prepare the _madai_ sushi.

Yamamoto rejoined the others without comment and both knew better than to say anything, simply resting their hands on his shoulders as the three took off again, this time to the Sasagawa household.

Ryohei hadn't had to say much, and had barely gotten an, "I'm EXTREMELY sorry," out before Hana and Kyoko had hugged him.

"See you soon, Onii-san," Kyoko said, tears beginning to form but she smiled anyways.

"One day I'll get you to stick around for a bit, Ryohei," Hana said a little wishfully, immediately turning the boxer around. "Now get going and save the day again."

Ryohei had nothing to say before once more turning and hugging the two most important women in his life, all the while crying EXTREME tears. It took both of them for Ryohei to continue the search for the Cloud guardian.

It actually wasn't that hard to find Hibari. Not even ten steps from the Sasagawa house, the very familiar sounds of tonfas clashing against metal could be heard. As the three ran around the corner, they beheld the sight that was perhaps seen once a day in Italy: Mukuro and Kyoya duking it out.

The scene was its customary mess: road cracked, buildings missing corners, weird scorch marks that come from their Flames, and the unfortunate, cowering passer-by. Chrome stood off to the side a bit nervously and lit up when she saw them. "H-hello. How have your Christmases been?" she murmured, still a bit shy after all the years.

Gokudera had to say he saw this coming at some point. With six guardians in the streets of Nanimori, there was only the idiot cow in Italy. And that same idiot cow had been at his father's… "Oh, Jyuudaime…" Gokudera whispered, something like anger welling up in him towards his boss. Chrome looked at him with a question in her face before she too counted the guardians, her breath catching the barest bit as she paled. Spinning around, she proved why she could handle her position as mist guardian as she fearlessly walked into the fight and grabbed a smiling Mukuro by the back of his jacket, effectively stopping his attack.

Before Mukuro could say anything, Chrome told him, "Bossu is alone for Christmas."

Mukuro's expression could only be described as a bloody crash between disbelief and confusion. Whipping his head around, he noted the presence of the others and his smile melted away, "The cow?"

Gokudera could've punched him. "The cow was at his father's. According to Jyuudaime, their relationship was better. Where do you _think_ the cow is spending Christmas if he has a choice?"

"Wait… A choice?" Mukuro said. "What do you mean a choice?"

Hibari impatiently paced nearby, knowing his fight had been cut off by the not-so-herbivorous mist woman. He growled out, "The omnivore herbivorously sent us all away for Christmas."

* * *

Mukuro and Chrome had been welcomed back to Kokuyo Land with the sight of Ken attempting to put an ornament on a rather small tree while Chikusa held the ladder. M.M. sat on the couch drinking a bottle of… something. Doubtlessly it wasn't cheap though.

As Mukuro walked in, she jumped at him yelling, "Mukuro!"

He side-stepped M.M., making Chrome catch her. Ken whirled around on the ladder, losing his balance and dropping the ornament, following after it only to land on Chikusa, who hadn't had time to move. The ornament almost shattered on the floor when Chrome lit up her Flames so the ornament instead dropped into her hand, saving both boys from landing in shattered glass.

M.M. had recomposed herself and stood as close to Mukuro as she dared, knowing that too close would only lead to her being farther away. Ken groaned and got up, blearily saying, "Hey, Mukuro-san."

"Get off me, you idiot," Chikusa said, kneeing Ken in the back as the man rolled off.

"Shut up, Kaki-pi!" Ken snarled, teeth bared.

"M-merry Christmas, Ken," Chrome's shy voice called, immediately calming the man.

Scratching his reddening cheeks, he mumbled back, "Merry Christmas to you, too, stupid woman…"

Chikusa sighed, "Idiot," again before taking the ornament from the woman and putting it on the tree. "There are still more ornaments to put up, if you guys want to do any," Chikusa said monotonously.

Chrome immediately went to help as Mukuro looked around. "Where's that no-good, froggy apprentice of mine?" he demanded, a little irked that the man was not already there.

M.M. piped up saying, "He said something about Master Viper trapping him in the Varia mansion. Last minute training and the like."

Mukuro made a very pointed note to talk to the former Mist Arcobaleno when he got back, as well as a few equally pointed words and tridents for his student. _Disgraceful that he hasn't finished it yet. He should've at least been able to escape by now at his level…_ "Fine then," the man announced. "Then I'm going out for a walk."

No one protested. Even years later, no one could begrudge the man the right to walk where he wished, although mentioning the reason behind it was a one way ticket to getting stabbed. Chrome waved good-bye to Mukuro as she finished putting up her ornament. Ken soon joined her and Chikusa, M.M. retaking her spot on the couch.

Not too long after Mukuro left, conversation, which was very sparse as none of them were good at socializing, began again. "So what's it like in Italy?" Ken asked, trying to find the best place to put a yellow glass ball.

"Hm? Oh, it good. Bossu and everyone else are nice. The weather's much warmer down there. I actually think you might like it better than up here," Chrome said absently.

"Oh, okay. Maybe we should visit sometime…" M.M. snorted from the couch and even Chikusa gave him a weird look at that. "What?" he yelled, a little embarrassed now.

"You really are like a puppy, aren't you?" M.M. said, flipping through a magazine. Ken's temper was on the rise when a yelp came from Chrome. Whirling back around, he saw her fall backwards of the ladder.

With a speed he was known for, Ken caught her with an, "Oompf." When she didn't immediately get off him, he looked at her to see her face scrunch in brief pain. A wave of pain rippled through her chest, but it was gone as quickly as it came. _What was that?_ she wondered. Sitting up, she patted her chest for any sore spots, not catching Ken's worried look. _I already had the transplants, so there shouldn't be any adverse reactions. Bossu made sure… I wonder what he's doing right now. Maybe I should ask Mukuro about it…_

"Hey, Chrome," Ken said, concern leaking into his voice. "You, okay?" Coming out of her thoughts, she saw him staring at her with his brow a little furrowed and Chikusa staring. Even M.M. was looking over her magazine at her.

"Yeah, sorry for worrying you," Chrome said, dusting off her skirt as she got up. "But I need to go find Mukuro-sama." She ran from the building to find him, leaving three stunned expressions in her wake.

Mukuro, for his part, had been enjoying his walk when a familiar blur shot past him. _Kufufufu~ Time to go bird hunting!_ But as Mukuro was about to take off after the skylark, a phantom pain, similar to those he felt while still in Vindice, ripped through his chest. By the time it was done, the skylark was nowhere to be seen. _Dang it… Everyone always tried to get in the way, whether it's pains or that Tsunayoshi. I wonder how the young Vongola is doing anyways. Perhaps I will have Chrome check in on him for me to make sure no one has attempted to steal his body before I get the chance. As for the skylark, I'll just have to chase him to the one place he'll be._

_ **Mukuro**_**, **a voice in his head called, alerting him to Chrome's nearing presence. Whipping his head around, he saw the woman nearing and decided to wait for once. "What do you need Chrome?" he asked a little impatiently. Each moment his target was getting further and further away.

"D-do you think Bossu is okay?" she asked. _That's a little out of the blue_, he thought, even though he had been thinking the same thing moments ago.

He scoffed. "I'm sure the Vongola is fine surrounded by all those puppies he calls guardians," he responded. _Although the skylark is here, so…_ Shaking his head, he looked at Chrome and said, "I'm heading after the skylark. Come if you wish."

Nodding, they headed for the town. Moments after entering, Mukuro dodged a tonfa to the face with grace, whipping his trident out to try and take off his opponent's head. Chrome stood back knowing that the fight was between the two of them. _It's kind of sweet that they get along like that,_ she thought absently.

As the fight escalated, Chrome began to get a little worried that maybe they were taking a bit _too_ far for a friendly fight. The arrival of Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Ryohei was met with relief and confusion. Walking over, she said softly, "H-hello. How have your Christmases been?"

She didn't understand the hurt in Gokudera's voice as he whispered, "Oh, Jyuudaime…"

Taking in the scene again, she noted that there were six of them there… _But that means… Oh no… I have to tell Mukuro-sama!_ Steeling herself, she ran at the two fighting men, and yanked hard on the coat of her master, knowing it would be the only way to separate them. Her master whirled on her with the intent to complain, but Chrome had to get this out first, "Bossu is alone for Christmas."

Chrome saw a vulnerability cross her master's face as he realized what that meant. Mukuro, for his part, felt as though he had been punched in the stomach as he realized that six of seven people the Vongola trusted stood in front of him. For all his bravado, the man didn't want the one who saved him from his prison to suffer any kind of similar loneliness. Grasping at straws, he latched onto one and said, "The cow?"

Mukuro's stomach knotted as the bomber said, "The cow was at his father's. According to Jyuudaime, their relationship was better. Where do you _think_ the cow is spending Christmas if he has a choice?"

"Wait… A choice?" Mukuro questioned, the full implications of his decision beginning to dawn on him. "What do you mean a choice?"

The skylark looked even more bloodthirsty than usual, itching to hit something as he muttered, "The omnivore herbivorously sent us all away for Christmas."

* * *

The six stared at each other in the middle of the street. "So, what now?" Yamamoto asked. The plan had been to round everyone in Nanimori up, but none of them really knew how they were going to get back to Italy.

"That's where I come in and save you sorry excuses for guardians," a voice growled. The six turned as one to see a man in a fedora standing half-way down the street.

"Reborn!" Gokudera yelled, "What are you doing here?"

Reborn grinned humorlessly, "Being Santa Clause… Not get in the car before I lose my temper!"

They obviously didn't move fast enough because Reborn fired off a couple rounds at their heels. Turning the corner, they piled into a rental. There wasn't even time to put on their seatbelts before Reborn took off into the streets of Nanimori. "Carnivore, slow this car down!" Hibari demanded, upset he couldn't attack this offender.

Reborn didn't even look at the cloud guardian, "Get over it! Be thankful I left you with the ability to walk. Like I told the cow earlier, the only reason you're still alive is because you need to fix your mistake!"

The anger was tangible and everyone felt subdued. The underlying message had Gokudera tensing as he realized what it meant. "You mean the stupid cow wasn't with Jyuudaime either?"

Reborn slammed his palm into the wheel with something close to a snarl. "NO! Every single one of you incompetent, irresponsible guardians left your boss vulnerable on Christmas! We won't even go into what Tsuna did to get permission to get you gifts!"

"The omnivore should've just told us no," Hibari said, subdued but not done yet.

"Don't you give me that, Hibari!" Reborn said lowly. "You all know he couldn't ask any of you to return to Italy for the holidays if you asked him if you could spend it elsewhere. That _Dame-Tsuna_!"

Suitably chastened, the guardians lapsed into silence.

* * *

**EARLIER IN ITALY...**

Reborn hadn't even needed to think about it. Tsuna not being up by eight after years of Reborn's training was unusual. The fact he wasn't up by ten was unthinkable… unless something happened that his student wasn't sharing. Tracking the boss down was easy after that; there was a 90% chance he would be there. And he would've had to be blind not to see the tear tracks on Tsuna's cheeks as he put the blanket over him. A glance at the screen would've shown a transaction for a plane ticket that had been for someone in another country to return to Nanimori, and the place of origin showed it would not be Tsuna's. Another look at the history would've shown similar purchases for two other people.

Suspicions now raised, Reborn slid Tsuna's phone from his desperate grasp as he slept. The call history showed five calls, four of which originated from guardians away from the mansion at the time. Reborn disregarded Fuuta's, knowing that the boy had undoubtedly gotten caught up with his trip to Lancia's. Fuuta was not officially part of the mafia and was more of Tsuna's ward and allowed to do as he pleased. Granted that extended to everything short of betraying the Vongola, but Reborn could confidently say the boy would never do that.

But the four other calls irritated Reborn, or at least caught him a little off-balanced because the world's greatest hitman never got worried. There were only two things that could truly make Tsuna cry this late in life: an angry Reborn threatening to retrain him and prolonged periods without his guardians. That did not count crocodile tears to a sympathetic maid; Reborn had quickly put a stop to that with a combination of gunpowder and ink.

Sighing, Reborn thought to himself, _There goes my vacation…_ He now had to go guardian hunting, and if he had to bet, the current trend would continue until there really would be problems.

Scribbling a quick note, Reborn took off for the car, knowing that the stupid cow's call home had not been to say he would be coming back soon. _Time to play Santa Clause,_ Reborn thought with a humorless grin. _I'll shoot the guardians first for not paying attention. And I'll make sure to shoot Tsuna when I get back for trying to hide things again. **Then**, I'll go on that cruise I promised Bianchi._

Climbing into his dark yellow Ferrari Enzo, – Reborn had a thing for fast Italian cars – he took off for Northern Italy, his license plate clearly displaying "R3B0RN" and guaranteeing him a ride without being stopped by the police. Taking a phone from his pocket, he spoke quickly into it, "Domenico, I need you to fly that plane up to Milan so it's ready when I get done up there." Confirmation had Reborn snapping his phone closed in the next moment and, stepping on the pedal, he started the six hour trip to the Bovino Headquarters in Morimondo.

Getting there within the necessary time, Reborn was still in a bad mood. On the ride, he had managed to think of every single possibility that could arise from this situation, and not one of them made him happy. His most likely scenario included every single one of the guardians being called away for Christmas. Mukuro and Chrome would most likely return to Kokuyo because, for all that the mist guardian said, he did care about the two he had saved from the Estraneo. Gokudera was already in Nanimori for work and Reborn knew that every problem that could arise from the airports came around Christmas time, which would probably strand him there. _Dame-Tsuna… I don't know who is worse sometimes: you or your guardians,_ Reborn thought tiredly.

* * *

Getting out from the car, Reborn strode into the Bovino base, knowing that the Don would've already been notified of his arrival if the guards were any good at their job. Sure enough, Don Bovino himself greeted the hitman as he entered, "Good afternoon, Reborn. To what do I owe this honor?"

Reborn, with his temper shorter than usual, dropped all diplomacy, "Your idiot of a son."  
The Don was taken aback for a moment before warily casting an eye to the upper floor and back to the man, "Why do you need him, Reborn? I can assure you he has not done anything wrong since he's been here and he obtained permission to stay for Christmas from the Vongola Don himself."

"Of course," Reborn muttered to himself. _Of course, Dame-Tsuna would give that idiot cow permission to leave him alone on Christmas._ Speaking louder, he turned to the Don and said, "Unfortunately, circumstances have arisen that need his immediate attention. As such, I regret to inform you that Lambo will not be spending Christmas in Morimondo."

The Don looked as though he wanted to be outraged but gave up when he realized that no one – no one – could say, "No," to Reborn and be left standing. With a heavy heart, the Don beckoned a nearby maid. "Get Lambo and his things together. He'll be leaving shortly," the man ordered, the maid immediately scurrying off.

The pouting boy soon appeared in the stairwell having been shooed away by maids trying to pack his things without his intervention. "Why do I have to leave?" he complained loudly. "I only got to spend two days with Papa!"

Reborn cast the boy a withering glare so strong that Lambo immediately shut up, shuddering as the hitman said his first words to him, "You irresponsible idiot! I should shoot you for this and the only thing stopping me is the fact that you are still needed to fix your mistake. Do you know what you've done?"

* * *

Lambo had woken up happier than he could ever imagine. For one, he was on the comfiest bed ever; next to the one back home, of course. The room had been decorated exactly how he'd wanted, it being his official room any time he was staying at the Bovino house. And that brought him to number two: his Papa had actually asked him to stay for Christmas that year!

Lambo had known for far too long – from the time of the fateful mission at three years old – that he and his father did not get along very well. This was only furthered by the man's cold attitude and Lambo's own stubbornness, neither wishing to break down and apologize for whatever transgressions had been incurred. That didn't stop Tsuna from getting the two together every year right before the holidays, saying that they just needed a chance to hit it off.

For all the tension, the meetings had been a way for the two to reconnect. It hadn't been quick and it was only this year that the meetings had truly gone beyond simple pleasantries. It all began when his father had asked how the Ten-Year Bazooka had been functioning. That led to a full conversation on its uses, possible improvements, and alterations that could be made to the machine. While it wasn't a heart-to-heart that might have been expected, both had seen the merit in the other's ideas, bringing forth a tentative respect.

Lambo had been surprised nonetheless at the Don's offer, but like Tsuna had said, they were both just waiting for an opportunity and Lambo immediately accepted, landing him in the room he now woke up in. _Speaking of which…_ the boy lazily cast his eye around the room before spotting the dresser and the clothes laid out on top.

Getting out of bed, the boy dressed and hurried downstairs. It would be the first breakfast he and his father had together in years. Before, Lambo had always either slept through it or had it sent to his room so he didn't have to see his Papa. This year would change all that. This year they would celebrate the holidays as a proper family.

Jumping down the last few stairs, Lambo ran through the halls before skidding to a stop at the breakfast table. The cooks, hearing the good news that the two had made up (the staff had been worried about the relationship), had outdone themselves with a huge spread of food. Lambo eagerly took his place at the far end of the table, glancing up to see his father at the other end drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. At Lambo's arrival, the man put down both and began eating.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"Yes, Papa. And yourself?" Lambo returned, remembering some of the manners that had been instilled into him as a child.

"Yes."

They lapsed into silence until Lambo broke in with a, "Papa…" The man looked up and Lambo took that as his go-ahead. "I was wondering if… If I could look over the lab and see what experiments are currently going?"

The man looked a little surprised before nodding at the boy, "I was planning to show you the labs today anyways. Finish up and we'll go down." It was all Lambo could do not to shove the whole plate in his mouth at that. As it was, he finished his breakfast faster than etiquette dictated, but his Papa kept his promise.

The two wandered the labs together, the scientists finishing last-minute tests before the holidays. At several points, the Don stopped to explain a project they had been stuck on for a while only to receive a possible solution from his son, as well as improvements that could be made.

As the two climbed the stairs back to the main floor, the Don turned to his son. "Lambo," he started, "I know Christmas is tomorrow, but consider this an advance gift." The man pulled a green present from a nook in the wall and handed it to the boy.

Lambo held the gift with a slight reverence as if unsure it was real. Shaking it lightly, the boy ripped off the paper to reveal a small white box, about the size of a necklace. Sending a questioning look to his father, the boy opened the box to find a small locket. The locket was obviously older, bits of gold beginning to flake off at the edge and small dents could be seen in the metal. Popping open the latch, Lambo felt his breath catch in his throat. Inside, there she was. His mother.

Lambo felt his eyes begin to tear up before he impatiently wiped them away. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around his father. "Thank you, Papa," Lambo mumbled. He missed the Don's smile as the man almost went to hug the boy back; at the last moment he pulled away and, with a cough, pointed towards the door.

"Go put it away and we'll look around a bit more," the man said gruffly. With a smile, Lambo ran up the stairs. As he found the perfect place to put the thing, a maid rushed in and kicked him out, telling him to go downstairs and get ready to leave.

Lambo, quite miffed, immediately ran to the stairs. A small fear wormed its way in that his Papa was going to ask him to leave, but Lambo pushed that aside before loudly announcing over the rail, "Why do I have to leave? I only got to spend two days with Papa!"

He immediately froze as he realized who stood at the door. Reborn. _Why is Reborn here?_ Lambo thought, more than a little panicked. His question was quickly answered when the hitman yelled at him, "You irresponsible idiot! I should shoot you for this and the only thing stopping me is the fact that you are still needed to fix your mistake. Do you know what you've done?"

* * *

"W-what do you mean, Reborn?" Lambo stuttered, half afraid and half curious.

"The fact you don't even know makes it even worse," Reborn snarled. "Now get in the car, or so help I will shoot you right now!" Lambo ran down the stairs and was about to leave the house when he noticed his father standing there.

"Papa…"

The older man took the cue, "Sorry I can't spend Christmas with you this year, Lambo. How about next year?" The boy nodded eagerly, once more hugging his father before running out to the waiting car.

"Just send his stuff back to the mansion, Don Bovino," Reborn said as he left through the door, closing it behind him and leaving a stunned Don behind him.

"Well, I guess I better get ready for next year then," the Don muttered with a smile, already thinking about it.

* * *

Reborn and Lambo arrived at the airport in Milan within the hour. Domenico already had the plane prepared for its flight to Japan, as per his orders, and Reborn all but threw Lambo inside.

"Reborn," the boy whined, "what did I do so wrong?"

The hitman had refused to answer a similar question while he had been driving, instead pointing Leon at Lambo in a silent threat. Now that they were on the plane and on their way to Japan, Reborn had the liberty and time to seriously scold the boy. "The fact you don't is even worse, you idiot cow," Reborn said, barely stilling his trigger finger. "I'll lay this out for you plainly, then. You were in Northern Italy. At least three, if not all six, of the other guardians are in Japan. Who does that leave with Tsuna?"

Lambo counted on his fingers twice before paling and stuttering, "B-but he never said anything…"

Reborn had to sigh at that. _It all comes back to that, doesn't it, Dame-Tsuna?_ The two lapsed into silence for the length of the trip. Lambo stared out at the retreating land thinking, _Oh, Tsuna-nii…_

* * *

The plane touched down a little later than usual due to the need to get necessary permissions to land from the airport. In Italy, it had been a matter of saying his name and he was in the air. In Japan, they had to follow the proper channels to land and take off.

Before the engines were finished slowing down, Reborn was out the door. A brief moment later, he turned back to the cow that forlornly stared out the window. "Idiot cow," he called. Lambo turned his head to the himan. "Get a proper present for Tsuna. It's all on you because I'm sure none of you guardians even thought about getting him one. This is your last chance for redemption."

Lambo nodded eagerly as Reborn stepped off the plane. He sat thinking on the plane until Domenico came up to him from the cockpit. "Are you ready to go?" the big man rumbled. Lambo nodded and the two left to search for the present that would heal his Nii-san's broken heart.

Domenico took another rental car to the surrounding city, Lambo staring at the shops as they passed by, unable to think of the perfect gift. It was close to forty minutes since they started searching. _Tsuna-nii doesn't want stuffed animals anymore… I don't think candy would cheer him up either… He has enough books in his library…_ A pain stabbed through him. His chest felt as though it had received one of his own electric shocks, and Lambo found himself on the edge of tears. _Tsuna-nii really only did want us by him for Christmas. I'm a horrible younger brother for not noticing! If only there was a way to forever stay beside Tsuna-nii!_ Lambo was about to all-out bawl when an idea struck him. The longer he thought about it, the better the idea was. _The best way to forever keep us close is…_ Jumping up and down in his seat, Lambo ordered, "Go to the nearest jewelers!"

Half an hour later, Lambo walked out with a large box of specially engraved pieces. Domenico opened the door to the car and they hurried back to the plane to get everything ready for take-off.

* * *

Reborn pulled up with a screeching halt, and everyone tumbled out and into the air field. A familiar cow child was waving at them to hurry up as they sprinted across, climbing into the plane as Domenico started up the engines.

Hibari took out his phone. A quick conversation of, "I can't make it," and, "Perhaps, next year," indicated he was telling Kuskabe that he would not be available for the party later. The man didn't seem overly ruffled.

Nor did Mukuro as he got off the phone with his own group. The only thing memorable was the ending shriek of, "Come back to me, Mukuro!" a certain woman had screamed right before he hung up. Chrome seemed a little more sad about the turn of events before thinking about Tsuna once more.

Despite the somber mood over the guardians, Lambo giggled to himself about something. Gokudera, losing patience after the first few minutes, grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt and dragged him up, "You think this is funny, you idiot cow?"

Lambo's smile immediately disappeared as he said, "No, Stupid-Dera, but," at this his smile returned, "I found the perfect present for Tsuna-nii!"

Gokudera was a bit taken aback, as were the rest of the guardians. They had completely forgotten about getting their boss a present. Reborn, however, smirked and leaned in, "So you think you've redeemed yourself, idiot cow?"

Lambo's smile faltered a bit before plowing on, "Yes. This should make Tsuna-nii feel better at least." Reaching into the seat next to him, he brought out the large box he had bought earlier. "See?" he said, his smile huge as he displayed his treasure.

The guardians went silent at was inside before Yamamoto laughed, "You really outdid yourself, kid!" There was general agreement among all of them. Even Reborn was impressed with the cow's choice. Not that he showed it, of course.

The gloom dispelled, they focused their thoughts on the task ahead. _We're coming home, Jyuudaime/Tsuna/Tsunayoshi/Tsuna-nii/Bossu/Omnivore._

* * *

The plane couldn't land soon enough, even with Domenico at the helm. Francisco had a car alongside the plane the moment it stopped, the guardians immediately piling in from the plane. The present was carefully placed across several laps to keep it from breaking.

"One hour until we get there," Reborn declared, checking his watch. They were on a very close time schedule. Tsuna would probably be too depressed to get up on time again, but that didn't mean the man would sleep as late as he did the day Reborn left. The sun was already beginning to peek over the horizon at 6:30 and it was a matter of who got there first at this point.

The tension could be cut with a knife as the guardians wrapped themselves in their own thoughts of guilt and failure. Lambo was the only one who wasn't brooding as he searched underneath his seat. A triumphant cry brought attention to the boy as he grabbed orange paper from underneath the seat, tape in his other hand. A questioning look had Lambo begin wrapping the present carefully. After a few false starts, Yamamoto laughed and took the paper, folding it around the box with a precision honed by years of careful knife and sword work.

By the end of it, a beautifully wrapped package lay in the car, ready for delivery. "I hope this works," Gokudera mumbled, knowing there was always the possibility they could fail. A sudden hand across his shoulders had him meeting Yamamoto's smile of confidence and Ryohei's determined look.

"It'll work."

* * *

The car pulled into the small town of Rocca di Cave a couple minutes before 7:30. The guardians felt last minute nerves before exchanging looks and getting out, Gokudera at the front with Yamamoto and Hibari trailing at the back. Reborn stood next to the car, watching them take the first step to becoming a more unified family and Famiglia.

Turning his key into the lock, Gokudera cracked the door open silently and cast his eyes around the front room. The coast clear, he opened it completely and waved the rest in, the present jingling slightly as it crossed the threshold. All seven froze, waiting for the tell-tale sounds of someone waking up. Nothing.

They continued on into the kitchen and the adjoining living room. Gokudera stopped in astonishment at the tree that towered in the middle of the room. Even when the lights were off, it was a beautiful 15-foot tree. The light streaming in the window revealed the tree in its full majesty, the ornaments catching the light and reflecting mini rainbows over the room. Stepping into the room, Gokudera noted the presents wrapped neatly under the tree, each with a corresponding color for each guardian. Something that they would've missed had they been away from the mansion; all that tremendous effort gone to waste. _Oh, Jyuudaime…_ he thought, his throat choking up a bit.

As the orange present was carefully laid under the tree, Chrome's gasp caught everyone's attention. She carefully bent over a pile of blankets, pulling back one on top to reveal spiky brunet hair. Even from where they were, they could tell he didn't look that great. Chrome gently traced the tear tracks and the red-rimmed puffiness. A small paw on her finger made her look down further to where a sleepy Natsu had latched onto her. Tsuna had his arms wrapped around the lion in a loose hold so Chrome lifted out the box animal. "We're going to fix this," she whispered to the lion. The lion seemed to acknowledge that they were going to help his master and jumped down to paw at the electrical cords to the tree. Chrome knelt and lit up the tree once more, the pale green and indigo lights providing power to light the orange star on top.

Exchanging looks, they went back into the kitchen. "Do we let him sleep or wake him up?" Yamamoto asked.

"We need to wake him up," Chrome said. "We need to show him he isn't alone for Christmas. But which one of us?"

"Rock, paper, scissors," suggested Lambo, already holding out his fist. It was pushed down by Gokudera, whose face was scrunched in thought.

"We'll do it together," he finally said. At the blank looks, he said, "We'll all be in the room, and, one by one, we'll call his name until he wakes up." Best idea yet, so they all filed back into the room.

One by one, they went.

"Jyuudaime…"

"Tsuna…"

"Otouto…"

"Tsuna-nii…"

"Bossu…"

"Tsunayoshi…"

"Omnivore…"

It was as Gokudera took a breath to start the next round, a small groan was heard beneath the blankets. They shifted to reveal a bed-headed Tsuna, his clothes rumpled as he yawned. Stretching, he began to open his eyes. He froze mid-stretch as he caught sight of the seven other people in the room.

"No… way…" he whispered, eyes locking with theirs. Smiles began to grow on faces.

"We came back, Jyuudaime."

"Merry Christmas, Tsuna!"

"EXTREMELY glad to be back, Otouto!"

"I have arrived, Tsuna-nii!"

"Merry Christmas, Bossu."

"Kufufufu~ You can't get rid of me that quickly, Tsunayoshi."

"Nowhere better to be, Omnivore."

Tsuna got to his feet, his eyes blurring with tears as his guardians surrounded him. He grabbed the one in front of him and buried his head into their shoulder. "M-merry Christmas and w-welcome back!" he managed, wiping his eyes to once more look at the ones around him.

"OH!" Lambo yelled, breaking from the huddle. He got on his knees and grabbed the present. The crowd parted as he walked forward. "Tsuna-nii, we apologize for leaving you so close to Christmas, and we hope this makes up for it, even a little," Lambo said, solemnly placing the gift in the man's hands.

Surprised at the gift, Tsuna sat back down on the couch, carefully peeling back the paper. Gokudera and Yamamoto sat on either side of him, Lambo taking his lap as his seat and making Tsuna unwrap it around him. Ryohei and Chrome took the arms of the couch with Mukuro leaning on one corner and Hibari a little further away with his back to the wall.

Coming across the large white box inside, Tsuna looked at them in confusion. It was about the necessary size for a large cake, but from their looks, that wasn't even close. "C'mon, Tsuna-nii! Open it already," Lambo urged from his lap.

Tsuna carefully lifted off the top to find eight silver pocket watches lying on a layer of soft lining. Each top had the original Vongola crest inscribed into it – like the one of Primo's time – and a different colored gem inlaid into the space above the clam. Taking out the first one, Tsuna turned it over to find the other side blank. He clicked it open to see another similar colored gem at the center of the hands, which were already ticking. Engraved on the inside lid were four words, but Tsuna knew there were never such important words: **Famiglia Per Sempre Indivisa**. Gently, Tsuna closed the watch once more. Noting the color of the gem was red, Tsuna handed the pocket watch to Gokudera, "I believe this one is yours."

Gokudera took the watch with a nod, but Tsuna didn't expect what came next. "I, Gokudera Hayato, do swear upon my loyalty as the Tenth Generation Storm Guardian to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that I will forever be at the heart of the attack, the furious Storm that, for you, never rests," Gokudera said, igniting the gem in the middle of his watch.

Once he was over his initial shock, Tsuna realized that all eyes were still on the box. Taking the hint, he pulled out the watch with a blue gem set into the middle and turned to Yamamoto. The man nodded, took the now-glowing watch, and smiled saying, "I, Takeshi Yamamoto, do swear upon my friendship as the Tenth Generation Rain Guardian to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that I will be the blessed shower that settles conflict and washes your sorrows away."

Tsuna felt his throat choke up. Blinking rapidly, he sniffed and pulled out the watch inlaid with a yellow stone. Ryohei took it in silence, watching the gem flare bright yellow before saying in his most serious voice, "I, Ryohei Sasagawa, do swear upon my determination as the Tenth Generation Sun Guardian to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that I will destroy the misfortune that attacks you with my own body, the Sun that brightly shines upon all."

Lambo barely waited for Tsuna to even pick up his watch before taking it from his hands and lighting the gem green. "I, Lambo Bovino, do swear upon my courage as the Tenth Generation Lightning Guardian to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that I will draw damage to myself and away from you, serving as the lightning rod," Lambo proclaimed, eyes meeting Tsuna's watery ones.

Picking up the two indigo watches, Tsuna turned his eyes to the two Mists waiting with their hands opened to accept the items. Placing one in each pair, Tsuna saw them both close their eyes and breath, illuminating their watches in indigo light. Together, they began, "We, Mukuro Rokudo and Chrome Dokuro, do swear upon our adaptability as the Tenth Generation Mist Guardians to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that we will create something from nothing, and nothing from something; thus bewildering the enemy, to render your true form intangible with visions of deceit."

As he picked up the second-to-last watch, Tsuna's hands trembled. Hibari came away from the wall and took the purple gemmed watch. Lighting it purple, he intoned, "I, Hibari Kyoya, do swear on my pride as the Tenth Generation Cloud Guardian to the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada, that I will be the aloof, drifting Cloud that will protect you from an independent standpoint, and whom nothing can ever bind."

The last watch lay dark in the box as Tsuna gently drew it out. Releasing his emotion in a deep breath, he looked up at those who surrounded him – his friends, his _family_ – and spoke clearly, "I, Tsunayoshi Sawada, swear upon my amenability as the Tenth Generation Sky Guardian and the Decimo Tsunayoshi Sawada that I will understand and accept the Storm, Rain, Sun, Lightning, Mists, and Cloud that surround me."

With the final vow dying into the air, the gems glowed simultaneously, sealing the words into the gems forever. Looking at each other, they let out loud, boisterous laughs as the holidays truly began. "Hahaha," Tsuna laughed, happy that he was no longer alone. "Okay, guys, go open your presents!"

They all gravitated towards the tree, some more rapidly than others, and began ripping packages open. Tsuna's face felt his smile soften into a content grin as one more presence appeared behind him. "I assume I can thank you for this, Reborn?" he asked, bending his head backwards.

Reborn shook his head. "I had nothing to do with this, Dame-Tsuna. This was all them; right down to the personalized vows. All I did was give them their motivation," he continued.

Tsuna chuckled lightly at that and curled back into his blankets as he watched his guardians' faces light up with excitement. "Merry Christmas, to all of you."

* * *

**A/N**

**Word Count: 12,935 (!)**

*** - Miwa means beauty, harmony**

**And so concludes my first holiday fic! *Trumpets blare in the background* Sorry if it was difficult to follow or if the end was a bit rushed. And if it dragged on a bit. But I think none of the characters were horribly OOC (bit paranoid about that). A little bit cliché with the whole thing with the watches, but it seemed like the kind of idea Lambo would come up with due to his recent exchange with his father.**

**Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Folks!**

**See you next year!**


End file.
